A judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of a Spalding man who is accused of failing to supply memorial headstones to his customers.
Julian Karl Gaunt, 52, had been due to go on trial at Lincoln Crown Court in April last year – but the hearing was adjourned because of the coronavirus outbreak.
It was the second time Gaunt’s trial had been adjourned after it was originally listed in 2019.
Gaunt today (Thursday) failed to attend when his case was listed for a pre-trial hearing at Lincoln Crown Court.
The hearing was told Gaunt had not replied to registered mail sent to his last known address.
Judge Simon Hirst issued a warrant for Gaunt’s arrest, stating: “Mr Gaunt has a duty to keep his solicitors informed of his whereabouts.”
Gaunt is bring prosecuted by Lincolnshire Trading Standards.
No new trial date has yet been set.
At a previous court hearing in November 2018, Gaunt, then of Queen’s Road, Spalding, pleaded not guilty to eight charges of fraud.
The alleged offences related to the supply and erection of memorial head stones on dates between 20 October 2015 and 22 July 2016.
He also denied a further charge of theft of a memorial headstone between 1 July and 31 December 2016.His trial is expected to last four days.
